Market (Mobile)ยทUpdated Mar 17, 2026 by Sensor Tower
The global mobile gaming market contracted in 2023, with a 10% decline in downloads and a 2% dip in revenue due to rising user acquisition costs and post-pandemic habit stabilization.
Market segment preferences shifted significantly in 2023, as mid-core revenue fell by 9% while casual and hybrid-casual segments grew by 8% and 30%, respectively.
Mobile advertising now accounts for 67% of global gaming ad spend, with marketing strategies increasingly relying on high-impact collaborations and transmedia IP to drive organic discovery.
Developers are pivoting toward emerging markets like Brazil and Saudi Arabia to capitalize on lower costs per install compared to saturated Western regions.
While Netflix Games saw a 194% surge in downloads, subscription models remain a small and largely unprofitable segment of the overall gaming ecosystem.
Breakout titles like Monopoly Go! and Royal Match demonstrate that aggressive live operations and innovative monetization can still generate significant returns despite broader market downturns.
The global mobile gaming market contracted in 2023, with a 10% decline in downloads and a 2% dip in revenue due to rising user acquisition costs and post-pandemic habit stabilization.
Market segment preferences shifted significantly in 2023, as mid-core revenue fell by 9% while casual and hybrid-casual segments grew by 8% and 30%, respectively.
Mobile advertising now accounts for 67% of global gaming ad spend, with marketing strategies increasingly relying on high-impact collaborations and transmedia IP to drive organic discovery.
Developers are pivoting toward emerging markets like Brazil and Saudi Arabia to capitalize on lower costs per install compared to saturated Western regions.
While Netflix Games saw a 194% surge in downloads, subscription models remain a small and largely unprofitable segment of the overall gaming ecosystem.
Breakout titles like Monopoly Go! and Royal Match demonstrate that aggressive live operations and innovative monetization can still generate significant returns despite broader market downturns.